Indicating lamp housing



y 2, 1967 E. L. STAGLIANO, JR 3,317,907

INDICATING LAMP HOUSING Filed Jan. 22, 1964 lllllllll :mnmlmlllmnnm //vvE/v7'0/?: ERA/87 1.. 6m sL/A/vqJa By mat ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,317,907 INDICATING LAMP HOUSING Ernest L. Stagliano, Jr., Springfield, Pa., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 22, 1964, Ser. No. 339,531 7 Claims. (Cl. 340--381) This invention relates to an indicating lamp housing and, more particularly, to an indicating lamp housing including first and second socket assemblies respectively accessible from the opposite ends of the housing.

In the indicating lamp art, it is common practice to provide an insulating housing for the lamp, the housing being adapted for mountingv on a panel to render the lamp visible from the front of the panel. Usually, a cap of transparent or colored material is affixed to the housing both for protectively enclosing the lamp .and for providing color-coding of the energized lamp. Frequently, the voltage rating of the lamp which is desired to be employed is well below the common 110 or 115 volt commercial power circuits, and thus it has become customary to employ a voltage-dropping resistor in series with the lamp to limit the voltage applied thereto. It is desirable that both the lamp .and the voltage-dropping resistor should be readily accessible, preferably independently of each other, to facilitate replacement of either of these components. Such replacement is necessitated not only in the instance of defective or burned-out components, but also to..permit changing the value of the voltagedropping resistor upon changes in voltage requirements for matching the voltage rating of the lamp with the commercial power circuit. It is also desirable that the housing permit the use of an indicting lamp at the rear of the panel for temporary purposes, such as circuit maintenance, and thus that components including both indicating lamps and voltage-dropping resistors be interchangeably received in either end of the housing and be easily and independently removable for temporary replacement by testing apparatus or other selected electrically-conductive components. v

In applications requiring that a large number of such indicating lamps be mounted on a panel of limited area, drastic miniaturization is required both in the diameter or cross-sectional area of the housing and in the axial length of the housing. Since indicating lampassemblies frequently are employed as warning devices for complex and expensive systems, they must be fully reliable, both electrically and mechanically, despite such miniaturization. The devices of the prior art, however, do not wholly satisfytthese demands of operational versatility in a miniaturized indicating lamp housing, while, in addition, assuring mechanical ,and electrical reliability.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an indicating lamp housing that permits the independent detachable connection thereto of an indicating lamp and a voltage-dropping resistor.

Another object of this invention is to provide ,an indicating lamp housing having readily accessible front and rear end portions designed for independently and detachably receiving electrically conductive components therein.

A further object of this invention is to provide a miniaturiz/ed indicating lamp housing adapted for mounting on a panel and arranged for detachably receiving an indicating lamp to be visible and readily accessible from the front of the panel and a voltage-dropping resistor to be readily accessible from the rear of the panel.

These and other objects of the present invention willbecome apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this application.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the indicating lamp housing comprises an insulating body having front and rear end portions, the insulating body being adapted for mounting on a panel with its respective end portions being accessible from opposite sides of the panel. First and second socket members are afiixed within the front and rear end portions, respectively, of the insulating body. Within each of the socket members at its interior end there is provided a contact button in insulated, cooperative association therewith, and these contact buttons are electrically interconnected. Electrical terminals extending externally of the insulating body are connected to the respective socket members. The first and second socket members are designed for the detachable connection thereto of an indicating lamp and a voltage-dropping resistor, respectively. The cooperative association of the socket members and the corresponding contact buttons establish a series-connected electrical circuit of the components between the external electrical terminals.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description and drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a side elevation of the indicating lamp housing of the invention in a typical panel mounting arrangement,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged end view of the indicating lamp housing of the invention taken from the right side of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is an exploded plan view of the indicating lamp housing of the invention, and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the indicating lamp housing of the invention oriented as shown in FIG- URE 3.

In FIGURE 1, the indicating lamp housing 1 of the invention is shown in a typical panel mounting arrange ment, the insulating body 2 thereof including a threaded neck portion 3 projecting through an aperture 4 provided in a panel 5. A lock nut 6 is received on the neck portion 3 and disposed to the rear of the panel 5 and a knurled nut 7 is received on the neck portion 3 and disposed to the front of the panel 5 to secure the insulating body 2 to the panel 5. The indicating lamp housing 1 is adapted for receiving a first electrically conductive component 8, usually an indicating lamp, from the front of the panel and a second electrically conductive component 9, usually a voltage-dropping resistor, from the rear of the panel. A threaded cap 10, which may be of transparent or colored material, is received on the neck portion 3 for protectively enclosing the indicating lamp 8 and providing color coding thereof when energized.

Electrical terminals 11 and 12 project externally of the insulating body 2 and are provided with means 13, such as standard lock-nut arrangements, for connection to a circuit represented by wires 14, the circuit voltage being on the order of 24 to 250 volts DC. or to 240 volts A.-C. In FIGURE 2, the external electrical terminals 11 and 12 are seen to be angularly displaced to facilitate the connection of the wires 14 thereto, apertures 15 and 16, respectively, being provided therein for securing the connecting means 13.

In FIGURE 3, the insulating body 2 is seen to include a front portion 17 and a rear portion 18, the front portion 17 including lips 19 and 20 which respectively engage lips 21 and 22 of the rear portion 18 and are secured thereto by rivets 23. An aperture 24 extends through both the front and rear portions 17 and 18. A socket member 25, having a flange portion comprising the external electrical terminal 11, and a socket member 26, having a flange portion comprising the external electrical terminal 12, are received within the aperture 24 in the front end portion 17 and the rear end portion 18, respectively. The socket members 25 and 26 are mechanically and electrically separate from each other, and preferably they are identical to each other. An insulating cup member 27 of generally cylindrical configuration having a planar end wall with a central aperture 28 therein and an identical in-' sulating cup member 29 with a central aperture 39 in its planar end wall are positioned within the aperture 24 intermediate the socket members 25 and 26 in cooperative relationship therewith for guiding purposes. A contact button 31 having an annular flange portion 32 and a second contact button 33 having an annular flange portion 34 are positioned within the cup members 27 and 29 in oppositely disposed relation, and a helical spring 35 extends therebetween.

Indicating lamp 8 includes a base portion 36 which illustratively is of a standard bayonet configuration and includes radially extending lugs 37 and a central contact element 38 mounted in electrically spaced relation thereon by insulating spacer 39. The electrically conducting component 9 is provided with a baseportion 40 of identical construction to the base portion 36 and includes radially extending lugs'41 and a centrally disposed contact element 42 mounted in electrically spaced relation thereon by insulating spacer 43. The element 42 and the base portion 40 are internally interconnected by a conductor of predetermined resistance. The socket members 25 and 26 are each provided with diametrically opposed slots including a longitudinally extending portion and a radially displaced loop portion, one of such slots being indicated at 44 in socket member 25 and another being indicated at 45 in socket member 26. The radially extending lugs 37 and 41 are received in the slots 44 and 45, respectively, and locked within the loop portion thereof.

In FIGURE 2, the electrically conductive component 9 has been removed to show the diametrically opposed nature of the slots 45 in the socket member 26 which is aflixed within the rear end portion 18 of the indicating 'lamp housing 1. A portion of the insulating cup member 29 and the contact button 33 are also shown.

A cross-sectional view of the indicating lamp housing 1 is shown in FIGURE 4. Socket members 25 and 26 are received within the aperture 24 in the front and rear end portions 17 and 18, respectively. Slots 46 and 47 are provided in the lips and 21, as shown in FIG- URE 3, through which the external electrical terminals 11 and 12, respectively, extend. When assembled, as shown in FIGURE 4, the lips 19 and 20 of the front end portion 17 engage the lips 21 and 22, respectively, of the rear end portion,- clamping the external electrical terminals 11 and 12 therebetween and anchoring the socket members and 26 within the insulating body 2. Rivets 23 secure the assembly.

The insulating cup members 27 and 29 are received within the aperture 24 intermediate the interior ends of the socket members 25 and 26 with the planar end walls in abutting engagement, respectively, therewith. Contact buttons 31 and 33 extend through the apertures 28 and provided therefor in the insulating cup members 27 and 29, respectively. Spring is disposed between the contact buttons 31 and 33 and urges them in an outward direction to an extent limited by the engagement of the annular flange portions 32 and 34 thereof with the planar end walls of the insulating cup members 27 and 29, respectively. The skirts of the cup members 27 and 29 guide the spring 35 and the respective contact buttons 31 and 33.

The base portion 36 of the electrically conductive component 8 and the base portion of the electrically conductive component 9 are inserted in the socket members 25 and 26, respectively, by a push-twist operation, the radially extending lugs 37 being received within the radial loop portions of the slot 44 in socket member 25 and the radially extending lugs 41 being received within the radial loop portion of the slots 45 in socket member 26 in releasable locking relationship. The socket members 25 and 26 are formed of an electrically conducting material to provide a first electrical contact to the bases of the corresponding components 8 and 9. Spring 35 resiliently urges the contact buttons 31 and 33 into engagement with the contact elements 33 and 42 of the components 8 and 9, respectively, for resiliently biasing the components 8 and 9 into the locking relationship within their corresponding socket members 25 and 26. Spring 35 is formed of an electrically conductive material whereby it completes an electrical circuit between the contact buttons 31 and 33. The contact buttons 31 and 33 establish a second electrical contact to each of the components 8 and 9. The components 8 and 9 thus are connected in series circuit relation between the external electrical terminals 11 and 12.

As an alternative embodiment, the various internal elements of the indicating lamp housing may be positioned in assembled relation and the insulating body 2 may be molded thereabout, thereby providing a unitary construction of increased structural strength. Further, the insulat ing cup members 27 and 29 may be replaced by. an integral portion of the insulating body 2 appropriately designed to perform the same function. Capabilities of manufacturing techniques and costs will determine the most desirable method of construction.

The indicating lamp housing of the invention provides great versatility in use. Electrical components of any desired configuration or size are readily adaptable for use therewith by the expedient of providing a plug-in base portion thereon suitable for reception within the socket assemblies. By way of example, the component 9 of FIGURE 4 is of significantly larger size than the components 9 shown in FIGURES 1 and 3. Further, replacement of either of the components 8 or 9 is effected easily, quickly, and independently of each other. Thus, the indicating lamp 8 may be replaced readily upon burnout, and either an incandescent or a neon pilot light can be used as desired. Any one of a plurality of plug-in resistors of different values of voltage-dropping resistance may be conveniently selected for the component 9, according to the lamp used and the rating of the external circuit in which the lamp is to be connected. A component 9 of negligible resistance can be provided for use in applications where the circuit voltage and the rated voltage of the lamp 8 are the same. The dimensions of the indicating lamp housing 1 are not substantially greater than the dimensions of the electrically conductive components desired to be employed therewith, and thus miniaturized construction is achieved while versatility and reliability in use of the indicating lamp housing are maintained.

The double-endedness of my lamp housing is particularly advantageous with respect to the performance of routine maintenance and test procedures. With sockets 25 and 26 that are essentially identical, a tester can easily interchange the lamp 8 and the resistor 9 and then ob-' serve the lamp being energized while manipulating associated circuitry at the rear of the panel on which the lamp housing is mounted.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention by way of illustration, many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, the bayonet base accommodating socket assemblies described hereinbefore could be replaced by candelabra base accommodating assemblies. Furthermore, component 9 may be a tapped resistor, an inductor, a capacitor, a flasher, or other circuit element designed for special application requirements, and component 8 may be a flashing lamp with self contained bimetallic element if desired. I contemplate, therefore, by the claims concluding this specification to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention,

What I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A housing for electric components such as indicating lamps, comprising:

(a) an insulating body adapted for mounting on a panel;

(b) first and second socket assemblies attached to said insulating body and respectively accessible from opposite ends of the body for detachably receiving electrical components therein, each of said socket assemblies including a socket member of conducting material and a contact button disposed at the interior end of the socket member, the socket members of said assemblies being mechanically and electrically separate from each other;

(e) means in each of said assemblies for maintaining the received component in locking relationship therein, with a firstelectrical contact established between the component and the socket member and a second electrical contact established between the component andthe associated contact button; 1 (d) first and second electrical terminals extending ex- .ternally of said body and connected respectively to the socket members of said first and second socket assemblies; and

(e) means electrically interconnecting said contact buttons to provide a series circuit of the components received in said first and second socket assemblies between said external electrical terminals.

2. An indicating lamp housing comprising:

(a) an insulating body adapted for mounting on a panel and having an aperture extending therethrough;

(b) first and second socket assemblies positioned with in said aperture and respectively accessible from the opposite ends of said body for detachably receiving electrical components therein, each of said socket assemblies including a socket member of conducting material and a contact button disposed at the interior end of said socket member, the socket members of said assemblies being mechanically and electrically separate from each other;

(0) first means in each of said socket members for receiving an electrical component in locking relationship therein and for making a first electrical contact thereto;

(d) first and second external electrical terminals mounted on said body and connected respectively to the socket members of said first and second socket assemblies; and

(e) second means resiliently urging each of said contact buttons in an outward direction through the corresponding socket member and against the electrical component received therein for resiliently biasing the component into the locking relationship with said first means and for making a second electrical contact thereto, said second means electrically interconnecting said contact buttons to provide a series circuit of the components received in said socket assemblies between said external electrical terminals.

3..An indicating lamp housing as recited in claim 2 wherein said second means comprises a spring member of electrically conductive material disposed intermediate said contact buttons and in mechanical and electrical contact therewith.

4. An indicating lamp housing comprising:

(a) an insulating body adapted for mounting on a panel and having an aperture extending therethrough;

(b) first and second identical socket assemblies positioned within said aperture and respectively accessible from the opposite ends of said body for detachably receiving electrical components therein, each of said socket assemblies including a socket member of conducting material and a contact button disposed at the interior end of said socket member, the socket members of said assemblies being mechanically and electrically separate from each other;

(0) each of said socket members being formed of electrically conductive material and including a flange portion projecting through said insulating body for providing an electrical terminal extending externally of said body and for anchoring said socket member within said body;

(d) first means in each of said socket members for receiving an electrical component in locking relationship therein and for making a first electrical contact thereto;

(e) second means resiliently urging each of said contact buttons in an outward direction through the corresponding socket member and against the electrical component received therein for resiliently biasing the electrical component into the locking relationship with said first means and for making a second electrical contact thereto; and

(f) means electrically interconnecting said contact but tons to provide a series circuit of the electrical components received in said socket assemblies between said external electrical terminals.

5. An indicatinglamp housing comprising:

(a) an insulating body adapted for mounting on a panel and having a longitudinal aperture extending therethrough;

(b) first and second socket assemblies positioned within said aperture and respectively accessible from the opposite ends of said body for detachably receiving electrical components therein, each of said socket assemblies including (i) a socket member of conducting material,

(ii) an insulating cup member having on one end thereof a planar end wall with a central aperture therein, said insulating cup member being positioned within said longitudinal aperture in said insulating body with said planar end wall adjacent the interior end of the corre ponding socket member, and I (iii) a contact button having a flange portion received for sliding motion within said insulating cup member, said contact button projecting through said central aperture and into the corresponding socket member with said flange portion adjacent to the interior side of said planar end wall;

(0) means in each socket member for receiving an electrical component in locking relationship therein and for making a first electrical contact thereto;

(d) first and second external electrical terminals mounted on said body and connected respectively to the socket members of said first and second socket assemblies; and

(e) a helical spring positioned within the cup members of both socket assemblies and extending between the respective contact buttons for urging each button in an outward direction against the electrical component received in the corresponding socket member to make a second electrical contact thereto, said spring electrically interconnecting the contact buttons to provide a series circuit of the received components between said external electrical terminals.

6. A panel-mounted indicating lamp assembly comprising:

(a) an indicating lamp having a plug-in base portion;

(b) a voltage-dropping resistor having a duplicate plug-in base portion;

(c) an insulating body having a threaded neck portion for insertion through an aperture provided therefor in a panel for mounting said insulating body on the panel, said insulating body having a longitudinal aperture extending therethrough in a direction transverse to the panel;

((1) first and second duplicate socket assemblies positioned within said longitudinal aperture and respec- 7 tively accessible at one end of the body from the front of the panel for receiving the base portion of said indicating lamp therein and at the other end of the body from the rear of the panel for receiving the base portion of said voltage-dropping resistor therein each of said socket assemblies including (i) a socket formed of electrically conducting material and including a flange portion thereon projecting through said insulating body for providing an electrical terminal on the exterior of said body and for anchoring said socket member within said insulating body, (ii) an insulating cup member having on one end a planar end wall with a central aperture therein, said insulating cup member being positioned within said longitudinal aperture in said body with said planar end wall adjacent the interior end of the corresponding socket member, and (iii) a contact button having a flange portion, said contact button being received for sliding motion within said insulating cup member, said contact button projecting through said central aperture and said flange portion engaging the interior side of said planar end wall;

' (e) first means in each of said socket members for detachably locking the received base portion therein and for making a first electrical contact thereto; and (f) second means resiliently urging each of said contact buttons in an outward direction through the aperture in the end wall of the corresponding insulating cup member and against the base portion received by the corresponding socket member for resiliently biasing the same into locking relationship with said first means and for making a second electrical contact thereto, said contact buttons being electrically interconnected to provide a series circuit of the indicating lamp and the voltage-dropping resistor between the electrical terminals.

7. An indicating lamp assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein said second means comprises a spring member of electrically conductive material positioned between said contact buttons in mechanical and electrical engagement therewith.

References Cited by the Examiner References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,871,748 8/ 1932 Schramm. 2,448,389 8/ 1948 Powell. 2,483,247 9/ 1949 Stoflel. 2,949,595 8/ 1960 Doelman.

ALFRED S. TRASK, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HOUSING FOR ELECTRIC COMPONENTS SUCH AS INDICATING LAMPS, COMPRISING: (A) AN INSULATING BODY ADAPTED FOR MOUNTING ON A PANEL; (B) FIRST AND SECOND SOCKET ASSEMBLIES ATTACHED TO SAID INSULATING BODY AND RESPECTIVELY ACCESSIBLE FROM OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE BODY FOR DETACHABLY RECEIVING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THEREIN, EACH OF SAID SOCKET ASSEMBLIES INCLUDING A SOCKET MEMBER OF CONDUCTING MATERIAL AND A CONTACT BUTTON DISPOSED AT THE INTERIOR END OF THE SOCKET MEMBER, THE SOCKET MEMBERS OF SAID ASSEMBLIES BEING MECHANICALLY AND ELECTRICALLY SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER; (C) MEANS IN EACH OF SAID ASSEMBLIES FOR MAINTAINING THE RECEIVED COMPONENT IN LOCKING RELATIONSHIP THERE- 